The coronavirus contagion in Brazil has been accelerating for 15 weeks, according to calculations by the epidemic control center at Imperial College, one of the leading centers in the world.
Since the week of April 27, the country has had a transmission rate above 1, which means that the infection is picking up speed. In the week that started this Sunday (3), the index, also called Rt, kept the 1.08 registered last week.
This means that every 100 people with coronavirus in Brazil infect another 108, who in turn, infect another 116.6, who infect 126 and so on, spreading the disease more and more quickly.
In the same period, countries that also had Rt above 1 in early May, such as Japan and the United Arab Emirates, completely controlled community transmission. Despite concerns about a second wave, the Asian country has been successful in its policy of intensive testing and tracking contacts to suppress new outbreaks.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, which also had uncontrolled transmission for three months, have recorded Rt below 1 since July, according to Imperial College calculations. In the balance sheet released this Tuesday (4) by WHO, the two also appear without community transmission.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon